From staff reports

North Rowan has hired Mike DeSantis as head baseball coach for the 2018 season.

AD Ben Hampton made the announcement. DeSantis is a P.E. teacher at Hanford Dole Elementary.

Tommy Small coached North to an 11-14 record and a 5-5 mark in the 2A Central Carolina Conference in 2017, his only season at the helm.

The Cavaliers will be competing in the 1A Yadkin Valley Conference this spring.

Indoor track

In the NC Runners Holiday Invitational in Winston-Salem, A.L. Brown’s Brandon Hernandez won the 1600 (4:27.68) and 3200 (9:38).

Hernandez is a senior committed to UNC Greensboro.

A.L. Brown’s Jalen Neal finished fourth in the 300 in a PR time of 36.04.

Davie’s Clay Summers was eighth in the 1600 in 4:38.

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South Rowan’s Madison Lowery was 11th in the 1600 in 5:33.

Carson’s Mikaila Gadson  placed ninth in the 500 (1:22.47).

A.L. Brown’s Ajianna Britt was fourth in the shot put with a throw of 35 feet, 10 inches.

Men’s basketball

Will Leckonby (Salisbury) was a bright spot for Guilford in Saturday’s loss to Emory & Henry. Leckonby made two 3-pointers.

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Michael Bowman (North Rowan) had five points and six rebounds on Saturday in J.C. Smith’s 82-65 win against Bowie State.

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Jamie Baker (NW Cabarrus) scored his first college point for  Presbyterian in a recent win against Toccoa Falls. The freshman is  the son of former Catawba College and current Central Cabarrus High coach Jim Baker.

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Senior Tre Williams (Carson) is averaging 12.8 points, 4.4 rebounds and 2.8 assists for Claflin.

College football

JaVon Lofton (West Rowan) played in six games for Averett as a true freshman, as he made the transition from offensive line to defensive line.

Lofton made his first two tackles in Averett’s last game of the season against Greensboro.

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Brandon Dry (A.L. Brown) made four catches for 41 yards for Averett and caught a TD pass against Brevard.

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N.C. Wesleyan sophomore defensive lineman D.J. Alexander (Salisbury) played in eight games and made 23 tackles this season and had six tackles for loss.

N.C. Wesleyan sophomore DB D.J. Jackson (Salisbury) played in four games and made seven tackles.

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Freshman linebacker Tywun Rivens (Salisbury) played in every game for Campbell this season and made 16 tackles.

Women’s basketball

UNC Pembroke lost to Columbus State, 99-79, on Sunday despite 13 points and five steals from Avery Locklear (South Rowan). Aliyah Farmer (North Rowan) had six points and four rebounds for the Braves.

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Special Washington (North Rowan) is scoring a lot of points for Guilford Tech. Washington had five straight games with 20-plus points in November and is averaging 17.2 points, 5.9 rebounds and 2.8 assists after 10 games.

Washington has shot well, almost 80 percent from the foul line and 36 percent on 3-pointers.

Guilford Tech returns to action on Jan. 5.

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Maddy Zaferatos (Davie) scored 6 points for Brenau in a 78-62 win against Montreat on Saturday.

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Averett’s Amani Ajayi (East Rowan) had 12 points and nine rebounds in Sunday’s 88-79 loss to Maryville.

Ajayi scored 13 points on Saturday. She’s averaging 12.0 points and 6.4 rebounds.

Local golf

The team of Blake Wray/Keith Dorsett shot 61 and won the  Championship Flight of the Two Man Texas Scramble at Warrior. They won by one shot over the team of Richard Cobb/Parker Chavis and the team of Lee Frick/Justin Lefler.

Bryson Sprinkle/Thad Sprinkle shot 63.

Other Flight winners were:

First Flight: Mike Mills/Robert Jordan 69

Second Flight: William Little/Brent Little 71

Third Flight: Chris Owen/McGwire Owen 73

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Azalee Story, David Honeycutt and Calvin Smith led the field in McCanless Couples play on Sunday.

Susan Wydner and Mary & Gene Seaford took second place.

Mary Seaford had longest putt.